Dr. Dre “Beats” Taylor Swift
Forbes just released their list of Highest Paid Musicians of the Decade, and the rankings are… surprising, to say the least.
The list boasts familiar faces like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry – both appearing at the bottom half of the list, with earnings of $500 million and $530 million each. Gaga had a successful few years with her new makeup line – Haus of Gaga, and the multi-million dollar film A Star is Born. Her album Joanne also raked in a few million dollars with its record breaking chart hits and successful performance on streaming services world over, hitting the No. 1 spot on iTunes in over 70 countries.
Other honourable mentions include U2, Jay-Z and Beyonce who earned $675 million, $560 million and $685 million respectively. Let’s be real, U2 is always up to something musical, and with their unforgettable tours, compilation album releases and fundraising work outside of music, so their multi million dollar net worth isn’t surprising.
The power couple of hip hop – Jay Z and Beyonce have collectively crossed the billion dollar mark and let’s just say Blue Ivy has nothing to worry about.
Taylor Swift comes in at No. 2, with the second highest earnings in the decade. She boasts a wallet of $825 million. Her appearance is expected if not obvious; if anything, the fact that she isn’t at the No. 1 spot is surprising. With her multi million dollar ticket sales, 5 record breaking album launches and various high listed brand deals, the singer has not only established herself as a musician but also as a working woman with great business acumen.
At No.1 is a name you haven’t heard in a while; at least not in terms of a musician list. Dr. Dre reigns supreme at No.1 with earnings of $950 million dollars in the last decade. The rapper, who in addition to founding Beats Music, is also a business mogul in other avenues, earned close to a billion dollars in the last decade solely from his various business ventures. With the expansion of the music and sound business, it’s easy to earn big money without actually making music. Power to you!
